Feeling pain?
You don't have to do anything. But for sure, if you don't, nothing will change. When I was at my lowest is when I fell in love with reading, and so what a gift that low-point was. Had I escaped it with distraction, I would have likely found myself in a cycle of doing without knowing, running from the day but only into an endless row of days just like it -- living in emotions with the consciousness of a dog, and in efforts to escape, falling even further away from awakening. When in pain, the idea of distracting myself nauseates me, not only because it feels irresponsible, but even more so, what if I have a good time -- that would be the worst situation, because then I'd be skilled at putting off and concealing my pain from myself.
The outside world doesn't change without the inside world changing first. So when lost, the thought of reading something that might inspire draws me -- because I know it can affect my internal world, that I might grow, and that I'd feel that in my smile, in my character. A dog does what it wants to make itself feel good at the moment. A man, a woman, has a mind, and so can evaluate, and with discipline make decisions. When you have nothing it's easy to take risks -- when life is alright, though, that's when it's the toughest to grow. These two polar places of existing are similar in the way that they're both equally dangerous as they are opportune; places in which character can be built... or lost.
Be inspired by your challenges, not defeated. Be empowered if you feel wronged, not angry. Lead by caring for strangers. Life is short. Feeling destructive? Then use that as fuel to say, "I'll die now or I'm going to lead and give and love, 'til I can no more -- no matter what. Me, I am going to change the cycles I don't like, I am going to make the universe love its self, I am going to be a deciding factor in defining the world."